Information services and data processing industries in general have rapidly expanded as a result of the need for computer systems to manage and store large amounts of data. As an example, financial service companies such as banks, mutual fund companies and the like now, more than ever before, require access to many hundreds of gigabytes or even terabytes of data and files stored in high capacity data storage systems. Other types of service companies have similar needs for data storage.
Data storage system developers have responded to an increased need for storage by integrating high capacity data storage systems, data communications devices (e.g., switches), and computer systems (e.g., host computers or servers) into networks called “storage networks” or “Storage Area Networks” (SANs.) In general, a storage area network is a collection of data storage systems that are networked via a switching fabric to a number of host computer systems operating as servers. The host computers access data stored in the data storage systems on behalf of client computers that request data from the data storage systems. For example, according to conventional applications, upon receiving a storage access request, a respective host computer accesses a large repository of storage through the switching fabric on behalf of the requesting client. Thus, a client has access to the shared storage system through the host computer. In many applications, storage area networks support hi-speed acquisitions of data so that the host servers are able to promptly retrieve and store data from the data storage system.
Conventional storage area network management applications typically include a graphical user interface (GUI) that enables a network manager to graphically manage, control, and configure various types of hardware and software resources associated with a corresponding managed storage area network. For example, one conventional network management storage application generates a graphical user interface utilized by a network manager to graphically select, interact with, and manage local or remote devices and associated software processes associated with the storage area network. Based on use of the graphical user interface in combination with an input device such as a hand operated mouse and corresponding pointer displayed on a viewing screen, a network manager is able to manage hardware and software entities such as file systems, databases, storage devices, peripherals, network data communications devices, etc., associated with the storage area network. Consequently, a network management station and associated management software enables a network administrator or systems manager (a person responsible for managing the storage network) to manage the storage area network and its resources. One purpose of managing storage area network resources is to maintain the storage area network so that it is properly configured to provide efficient data access to many users.
To manage devices such as switch devices in a fabric of the storage area network, a network administrator must have knowledge of operations supported by the devices as well as protocols used to communicate with the devices. A storage area network typically includes many different vendor types of devices that must be managed. Thus, to manage such devices in the storage area network, a network manager must typically communicate directly with the switch devices using many different communication protocols.